Question

【题目】 The late president of South Africa , Nelson Mandela , once said :“If you talk to a man in a language he understands , that goes to his head. If you talk to a man in his own language, that goes to his heart.”

After all, it’s the language we first hear – usually from our parents – and the language we first learn to speak. We can communicate in a nuanced（微妙的）way through our mother language , expressing our emotions and moods more fluently . We make friends in our mother language. We fall in love in it. We suffer bereavement（丧亲之痛）in our mother language . When we die, we know that people will mourn（哀悼）for us in our mother language .

For the people who speak an ancient tongue as their mother language , it is the repository（贮藏库）of tradition . The language is their main link with their ancestors. And it’s also how they imagine the future.

So it’s a serious matter for a language to disappear. Over the last century, more than 400 languages have died. Some languages are now spoken only by a few dozen people, such as Yagan, a language from Chile. Africa and South America are also places where many languages are imperilled.

Why are we humans speaking fewer languages than we once did? The answer has a lot to do with globalization. With greater trade and communication, the planet has become smaller. It’s become more useful to speak some languages – English is the obvious example – than others. the effect has been to kill certain languages, usually ones spoken by less populous（人口众多的）and powerful peoples.

But there are people and organizations all over the world that aren’t prepared to accept a planet with fewer and fewer languages. Through efforts both large and small, they are getting people to speak and read in certain languages, and to pass them on.

The United Nations recognizes this work. This is why each year on Feb 21, it holds International Mother Language Day to raise notice of dying languages, as well as praises the people who are struggling to protect them.

This work is surely important. Language is the roadmap of a culture. It tells where its people come from and where they are going.

【1】How does the author introduce the topic?

A.By asking a question.B.By using someone’s words.

C.By giving an experience.D.By expressing a feeling.

【2】What are Paragraphs 2 and 3 mainly about?

A.The importance of one’s mother language.

B.Why languages disappear.

C.Ways to save our mother languages.

D.The relationship between tradition and language.

【3】What does the underlined word “imperiled”mean？

A.developedB.protectedC.usedD.endangered

【4】what is the greatest cause of language loss, according to the article?

A.The development of globalization.

B.An increasing world population.

C.Disappearing traditions.

D.Young people don’t like speaking their mother language.

【5】According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A.More than 400 languages have died over the last century.

B.Some languages are spoken only by a small number of people

C.The less powerful peoples’ languages can’t be killed

D.Many languages are imperilled in Africa and South America

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】A

【3】D

【4】A

【5】C

【解析】

这是一篇社会文化类阅读，主要介绍每年的2月21日是国际母语日。随着全球化的发展，很多种语言已经消失了。联合国为了唤起濒危语言的注意，而设定的这个节日。语言是一种文化的路线图，它告诉人们从哪里来，到哪里去。

【1】细节理解题。根据第一段以南非总统的话If you talk to a man in a language he understands , that goes to his head. If you talk to a man in his own language, that goes to his heart.来引出语言话题可知，故选B。

【2】细节理解题。根据第二段We can communicate in a nuanced way through our mother language , expressing our emotions and moods more fluently .和第三段The language is their main link with their ancestors.语言是他们和祖先的主要联系方式，可知两段谈论了语言在文化延续中的重要性，故选A。

【3】词义猜测题。根据本段上文举例提到在非洲和南美洲，400多种语言在上世纪消失了，可推测，该词意为濒临灭绝，故选D。

【4】细节理解题。根据第五段The answer has a lot to do with globalization.答案和全球化有很大关系，可知语言的消失和全球化有关，故选A。

【5】细节理解题。根据第五段最后一句It’s become more useful to speak some languages – English is the obvious example – than others. the effect has been to kill certain languages, usually ones spoken by less populous（人口众多的）and powerful peoples.可知弱势语言比较容易消亡，故选C。